This email contains
- information about the Peco cross country league (book by 28 October)
- information about the West Yorkshire cross country league (book by 21 October)
- booking for training in November (book by 2 November)
Please do not reply to this email nor store this email address in your address book as this email address is only used for outbound bulk emails, instead reply to Facebook posts or email [email protected] .
Peco Cross Country League
(for school years 2 to 11)
The first meeting is at Middleton Park on Sunday 12 November.
There will be 6 meetings, 5 with individual races, the last with relays for teams-of-3.
The dates (all Sundays) and venues are
- 12 November at Middleton Park (race HQ at John Charles Centre)
- 3 December at Templenewsam
- 17 December at West Park (junction of Spen Lane and Butcher Hill)
- 28 January at Wetherby (venue to be confirmed)
- 25 February at Roundhay Park (AMENDED DATE)
- 10 March relay race at Bramley Falls Woods
Each of the 5 meetings has a 1 mile race for under-11’s (school years 2 to 6) at 10:00 and a 2 mile race for under-16’s (school years 7 to 11) at 10:20. Distances are approximate – it’s cross country! The relays are for teams of 3 of any age, each runner runs just over a mile.
If you enter the Series by 28 October, your name will be printed on your race number. When you’re running you’ll get people encouraging you, calling your name!
If you’re running so fast that your name can’t easily be read, then, if you’re wearing a Valley Striders T-shirt or vest, people will be calling “Come on, Striders!”. If you haven’t got Valley Striders top, then you can get one from me at the club on a Tuesday evening. I have all sizes up to age 13, but don’t leave it till the last week in case I run out of your size!
Wearing club kit will also look good in team photos!
The Series costs £8 to enter, that’s all, and it covers all 6 meetings (yes, including the relay).
If you turn up on the day not having entered it will cost £4 and your name won’t show in the series results. If subsequently you then decide to enter the series it will still cost £8 so you may as well enter the whole series.
If you run all 5 races you will get a memento.
Entry is now open. To enter, click on this link https://racebest.com/races/ty92q
NB there is a space on the form to put an England Athletics number – you can leave it blank as it is not needed for these races.
NB don’t enter twice! To see if you’ve already entered, check your bank account, or click on the link above and scroll down to “LATEST ENTRIES” and click on the blue button “See all”.
This really is suitable for all abilities. Anyone capable of running a junior parkrun is capable of running a Peco XC race.
We strongly encourage all junior members to take part and will be slightly disappointed with those who don’t take part in at least one race.
As a token gesture we’ll refund your entry fees! For each of the 5 individual races that you run we’ll refund £1.50 and for running the relay we’ll refund £0.50. You’ll receive this refund the next time you renew your membership.
P.S. in case you wondered, “Peco” is the name of the sponsors – the “Printing and Embroidery Company”.
Only 18 have entered so far. 75 entered last year. Please enter ASAP!
More information at www.pecoxc.co.uk or https://www.valleystriders.org.uk/events-for-juniors-autumn-winter-2023-24/
Please post general questions on the Facebook post https://www.facebook.com/groups/369749209844475/posts/2611180815701292 or email individual questions to [email protected]
West Yorkshire Cross Country League
(for school years 5 and above)
We recommend the Peco League XC to all of our members. And I know that many of you run in the Leeds Schools Athletics Association XC League on Saturday mornings (two races have already taken place).
The West Yorkshire Cross Country League (WYXCL) is the next step up for club runners. This takes in clubs in West Yorkshire (surprise!) and a few beyond such as City of York and Skipton. The youngest age group is Under 11 (years 5 & 6).
There are 4 meetings – 3 Sundays and 1 Saturday
• Race 1 at Nunroyd Park, Guiseley on Sunday 8 October
• Race 2 at Thornes Park, Wakefield on Sunday 29 October
• Race 3 at South Leeds (venue TBC) on Saturday 18 November
• Race 4 near Rothwell Leisure Centre on Sunday 10 December
The U11 races (years 5 & 6) are from 11:45, distance 1500 to 1800 metres, just 1 lap. The U13 races follow on from 12:05, approximately 3km.
At race 1, 19 V S juniors ran (the most ever) and we had 5 complete teams (the most ever) – at least 3 runners in age categories U11B, U11G, U13G, U13B and U15B.
I’ve updated the “WYXC Junior Races 2023” page on the website with the Striders results and a link to the full results. https://www.valleystriders.org.uk/west-yorkshire-cross-country-junior-races-2023/
Especially well done to Ruth who won her race and also to Imogen, Dan, Ewan, Sam R and James who finished in the top 10 of their races. And to the other 13.
Take a look … and if you can run the same speed as any of those who ran, then please consider entering the rest of the series – there’s a link to enter from my webpage.
Please ask any questions on this post
https://www.facebook.com/groups/369749209844475/posts/2608009266018447/
The cost of the series is £20 and entries, if you want to run in the second race, close on Saturday 21 October.
NB if you can’t run the second race but can run the third or fourth, don’t enter yet.
If you finished in the top 15 of the LSAA race or if you finished in the top 15 of the Leeds Primary Schools XC at Templenewsam last year you will be very competitive at WYXCL. Top 30 of those races and you won’t be outclassed.
If you weren’t in such high positions and you’re year 5 or 6, don’t worry, you may be in the last 10 runners at the WYXCL but it’s less than 10 minutes running and it is good training and experience for LSAA and for Peco. If you’re older and not so fast you might want to consider carefully.
Richard, Alex and myself will be at all of the meetings.
Those who take part will be considered for Richard and Alex’s group – we will try to fit you in for a taster session with that group fairly soon.
This is the highest level of club competition for years 5 and 6, but year 7 onwards are eligible for the Yorkshire, Northern and English cross country championships – now is the time to gain experience!
I hope a few more of you decide to enter WYXCL.
Links
Details of all events are in https://www.valleystriders.org.uk/events-for-juniors-autumn-winter-2023-24/
Entry to WYXCL race 2/3/4 is via https://www.race-results.co.uk/onlineentries/user/login.php?raceid=5066
You will need to create a Sportsoft account to do your entry. Please put your England Athletics number in your personal details. You’ll find it here
Year 5 and 6 runners will see “JS” alongside the EA number. This means they are a Social Athlete with EA rather than a Competitive Athlete. Under 11s don’t need to be Competitive Athletes to run in WYXC, all other age groups do. Saves you paying £19!
Training for November
The booking form is now available https://www.valleystriders.org.uk/booking-junior-training-sessions/ . Please complete the form by Thursday 2 November if you want to come to the session on Tuesday 7 November.
The booking form contains a new section to sign which applies all year round but is particularly relevant after the clocks go back next week as the fields and car park will be dark
I understand that I am responsible for assuring myself of the welfare of my child during the session
I understand that if I am not going to be helping or watching on the rugby field I will:
- let the leader know when I hand over my child and inform them where I will be onsite. I will also fill in the form by the clubhouse with my phone number, the make, colour and registration number of my car and which carpark I am based in.
- I will be at the edge of the rugby field before the end of the session to collect my child
- if I have to go offsite I will nominate another parent to be responsible for my child. I will let the leader know, and will fill in my details on the form by the clubhouse.
Events for Autumn/Winter 2023/24
I will frequently update a page on our website – please take a look from time to time